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SELA construction coming to Freret Street: This is what you should know

SELA construction coming to Freret Street: This is what you should know

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Updated: 12:30 PM CDT Apr 4, 2017

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WEBVTT IC JAMS, WDSUTRAFFIC REPORTER KELLIE BROWNHAS THE BEST ROUTES.KELLIE: IF YOUR COMMUTE BRINGSYOU IN OR NEAR THE UPTOWN AREA,YOU'LL NEED A AN ALTERNATE ROUTEFOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.THAT IS BECAUSE PARTS OF FRERETSTREET AND JEFFERSON AVENUE WILLBE CLOSED AS CREWS WORK ON THEAREA'S DRAINAGE SYSTEACCORDING TO THE U.S. ARMY CORPOF ENGINEERS, THIS CONTRUCTIONWILL MAINLY FOCUS ON UNDERGROUNDDRAINAGE CANALS, WHICH AREIMPORTANT DURING TIMES OF HEAVYRAINDURING THIS CLOSURE, DRIVERSHEADING LAKEBOUND WILL BE ABLETO TRAVEL ALONG JEFFERSONAVENUE.IF YOUR TRAVELS TAKE YOU UPTOWNON FRERET, YOU CAN STILL ACCESSJEFFERSON AVENUE.BUT CONSTRUCTION WILL LEAVEFRERET STREET CLOSED ON THEUPTOWN SIDE OF JEFFERSON AVENUE.THE CORPS SAYS DRIVING TOWARDDOWNTOWN ON FRERET, DRIVERS WILLENCOUNTER A DETOUR JUST BEFOREYOU GET TO JEFFERSON AVENUNO WORD YET ON WHERE THE DETOUWILL BE, BUT THE CORPS SAYSSIGNS WILL BE OUT TO DIRECTDRIVERS TOWARD THAT DETOUR.> I THINK IT'S A DOUBLE EDGESWORD I SUPPOSE, I MEAN WE'LLSEE ONCE IT IS FINISHED.IT'S CERTAINLY AN INCONVENIENCENOW, BUT I'M HOPING THAT THEDRAINAGE PROBLEMS WILL BE ATLEAST IN THAT AREA, WILL BEDEALT WITH.KELLIE: THE ROADWORK IS EXPECTED

SELA construction coming to Freret Street: This is what you should know

Roadwork related to the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project will close parts of Freret Street for the next three months.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials said crews will perform underground drainage and water line work for box culvert construction.

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Construction on the project will close Freret Street on the Uptown side of Jefferson Avenue. Drivers going lakebound can still travel on Jefferson Avenue.

Drivers heading Uptown on Freret Street can also access Jefferson Avenue. However, those driving toward downtown on Freret will encounter a detour just before Jefferson Avenue. There is no word yet on where the detour will be, but the Army Corps said signs will be out to direct drivers toward the detour.

The Corps said the construction will mainly focus on the underground drainage canals, which are necessary during heavy rain.

Residents living in the area said they hope it will be worth the wait.

"We're a patient area here, and we can see what happened to Napoleon Avenue. It's great driving down there now, so we'll hang with it and accept the inconvenience," said Tom Ragnone.

Roadwork is expected to end in July. More information about the SELA project can be found online.

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